Topband: 160 to NA

[Jim Simon]

> Cannot help thinking, that if more stations would listen more carefully
> instead of CQ-ing endlessly, there would be more DX-qsos !

> Rag LA5HE
>

Rag,  I couldn't agree more. I was only on briefly last night, but I was 
amazed at the number of stations from EU who were VERY loud here on the West 
Coast, but called CQ over and over without answering and without taking more 
than a fleeting moment to listen to see if anyone was responding.

It's hard for me to understand sometimes on Topband how a dx station can be 
s-9 or s-9+ here and not hear me (and others) responding. In some cases, I'm 
sure high QRN levels can be a problem, and in a some other cases I suspect 
that stations are operating QRO with power well in excess of legal limits, 
so that their signal strength misleads stations who are calling as to their 
ability to be heard. In the majority of cases, though, it's probably as you 
suggest -- just a failure to take the time to listen carefully.

Oh well, I guess all this just adds to the challenge and mystique of dxing 
on 160.

73,
Jim  W1YY/7